Reusable shooting target assembly

ABSTRACT

A shooting target assembly that can be reused multiple times. The shooting target assembly includes a base having a front face and a rear face. The front face of the base having one or more layers of pressure-sensitive coating. The pressure-sensitive coating is such as an area of the coating receiving the impact of the bullet hitting the shooting target can change in color, thus showing the point on the shooting target being hit by the bullet.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shooting practice target assembly, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a reusable shooting target assembly having a pressure-sensitive layer and sensors to detect a hit.

BACKGROUND

Shooting is a popular sport as well as an essential requirement for professions, such as in security enforcement. People who desire to learn or sharpen their shooting skills generally practice shooting against a shooting target. The shooting target can be a round shape paper or cardboard having concentric circles of increasing diameter. Shooting targets of other shapes are also known, such as human outline shape shooting targets. The bullet makes a hole in the paper or board if strike the target. The hole is visible from few feet, however, if the shooter is at a greater distance, the shooting target is bought closer using a reel mechanism. The known shooting targets have several drawbacks, such as single-use.

Thus, a need is there for an improved shooting target that is devoid of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The principal object of the present invention is therefore directed to a shooting target assembly that can be reused multiple times for shooting practice.

It is another object of the present invention to provide images of the shooting target on a display closer to the shooter for checking where the bullet hit.

It is another object of the present invention that the shooting target can be manufactured in a range of shapes and sizes.

It is still another object of the present invention that the shooting target is economical to manufacture.

It is yet another object of the present invention to save the paper used for shooting targets.

In one aspect, disclosed is a shooting target assembly that can be reused multiple times. The shooting target assembly includes a base having a front face and a rear face. The base can be made of any rigid and durable material that can withstand the multiple shocks of bullets hitting the shooting target. The front face of the base can have one or more layers of pressure-sensitive coating. The pressure-sensitive coating can be such as an area of the coating receiving the impact of the bullet hitting the shooting target can change in color from the first color to a second color, thus showing the point on the shooting target being hit by the bullet. The second color can be red, while the first color can be any light color or white.

In one aspect, the shooting target assembly may also include a sensor coupled to the base that may detect an impact of the bullet hitting the shooting target. The sensor can trigger a camera that can capture the front face of the shooting target and send the photograph on a display device.

These and other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein and the summary will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein, form part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Together with the description, the figures further explain the principles of the present invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant arts to make and use the invention.

FIG. 1 is the front face of the shooting target, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the shooting target showing the base and the pressure-sensitive coating layer, and the impact of bullets hitting the pressure-sensitive coating, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an environmental diagram showing the control unit coupled to the sensor and a camera, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments set forth herein; exemplary embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, a reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be taken in a limiting sense.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the present invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The following detailed description includes the best currently contemplated mode or modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention will be best defined by the allowed claims of any resulting patent.

Disclosed is a shooting target assembly for shooting practices that can be reused multiples times for a long period. The shooting target assembly can include a shooting target, a control unit, one or more sensors, and a camera. The bullets hitting the shooting target can be tracked and recorded using the control unit. Referring to FIG. 1 which shows an exemplary embodiment of the shooting target 100. The shooting target 100 shown in FIG. 1 is round, however, shooting targets of any other shape are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the shooting target of a square shape or human outline is within the scope of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the front face of a base 110. The base 110 can be rigid and made of a durable material that can absorb the shocks of multiple bullets hitting the shooting target. On the front face of the base can be coated one or more layers of pressure-sensitive coating 120. Referring to FIG. 2 which is a sectional view of the shooting target having the base 110 and the pressure-sensitive coating layer 120 overlays on the front face of the base 110. The layer of pressure-sensitive coating overlays and covers the entire front face of the base. When a bullet hits the shooting target, it comes in contact with the pressure-sensitive layer. Arrows A in FIG. 2 shows the trajectory of the bullet. The bullet hitting the target can ricochet i.e., deflected by the shooting target. The impact of the bullet causes local deformation 130 of an area of the coating coming in contact with the bullet, the area referred to herein as the impact area. FIG. 3 shows three such deformations 130 in the pressure-sensitive coating 120. The deformation in the coating may lead to rearrangement of the molecular distribution and immediately change in color of the area. The changing color can indicate the point at which the bullet hit on the shooting target. The degree of color change may vary with the energy of impact, with darker color indicating the stronger impact. The deformation can regain the original state after some time. And also, the color change can be restored to the original color. However, the color and intensity of the color may remain almost the same for a significant duration at least permitting an observer to take note of the impact. The pressure-sensitive coating can be durable to sustain the impact of thousands of hits of low-energy bullets (i.e., those from air guns, BB guns, and slingshots). The base can also be made of a rigid and durable material that can withstand the impact of bullets and cause the bullet to deflect upon hitting the shooting target. The base can be made from a durable and rigid material, such as wood, plastic, or metal.

The shooting target can be divided into several regions wherein the pressure-sensitive coating can be throughout the front face of the base. The different regions can be separated by an outline and different regions can have different colors. Such patterns are known to a skilled person for use in shooting targets, and any such pattern or design is within the scope of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the shooting target having concentric circles of increasing diameter wherein the center of the round shooting target can be the bull eye. FIG. 1 also shows bullet impact areas 130 formed by hitting of the bullet on the coating. The normal color of coating and changed color of the impact area can be contrasting and the choice of colors may depend on the viability and choice.

Referring to FIG. 3 which shows an exemplary embodiment of the control unit 300, sensor 310, and the camera 320 of the disclosed shooting target assembly. The sensor can be coupled to the shooting target and can detect an impact on the shooting target. The control unit 300 operably coupled to the sensor can receive a signal from the sensor indicating the impact of the bullet on the shooting target. The control unit upon receiving the signal can trigger the camera to capture a photograph of the shooting target in near real-time. The control unit can receive the image from the camera. The control unit can then send the image on the user device, such as a smartphone or any other display, such as a monitor on which the shooter can view the point of hit on the shooting target. The control unit can also save the images in memory. The images can be categorized into sessions and the shooter can view the progress of shooting over the sessions. The camera can capture a high-resolution image, such as the control unit can also analyze the intensity of color and shape of the impact area. The analysis can be used to provide more information to the user about the trajectory of the bullet and the speed.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shooting target assembly comprises: a shooting target, the shooting target comprises: a base having a front face; and one or more layers of a pressure-sensitive coating on the front face of the base, the pressure-sensitive coating configured such as an area of the pressure-sensitive coating impacted by a bullet hit deforms and changes in color from a first color to a second color, wherein the impact area indicates the point on the shooting target at which the bullet hit.
 2. The shooting target assembly according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of the second color is proportional to the energy of the bullet with which the bullet hit the impact area.
 3. The shooting target assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive coating is further configured such as the impact area reforms after a predetermined duration, and the color reverts from the second color to the first color.
 4. The shooting target assembly according to claim 3, wherein the intensity of the second color remains substantially the same for at least sufficient duration for an observer to notice the impact area.
 5. The shooting target assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shooting target assembly further comprising: a camera configured to capture an image of the shooting target; one or more sensors coupled to the shooting target and configured to sense an impact on the shooting target by a bullet; and a control unit operably coupled to the one or more sensors, the control unit configured to: receive a signal from the one or more sensors, wherein the signal indicates the impact of the bullet on the shooting target, and upon receiving the signal, triggers the camera to capture the image.
 6. The shooting target assembly according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is further configured to: receive the image from the camera, and transmit the image on a display.
 7. The shooting target assembly according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is further configured to: analyses the image to detect a shape of the impact area and an intensity of the second color, and determine the energy and trajectory of the bullet hitting the impact area.
 8. The shooting target assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shooting target is divided into distinguishable regions.
 9. The shooting target assembly according to claim 8, wherein the distinguishable regions are having a different color.
 10. The shooting target assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base is made of rigid and durable material. 